Mechanical reasoning asks how well you understand physical principles in practice: what happens when something turns, lifts, balances or bears weight.
What a question looks like
Usually a diagram, with a question about what it does. Which way does the gear turn, which pulley takes less effort, where does the beam balance, which support carries more load.
What a mechanical test is really testing
Practical understanding rather than recalled formulas. You are not expected to calculate anything to three decimal places, and you are not being marked on whether you remember the equation for torque.
Employers use it for roles where getting the physical reasoning right matters: engineering, maintenance, manufacturing, the emergency services and the armed forces among them.
The principles that come up most
- Gears. Meshed gears turn in opposite directions. A small gear driving a large one turns it more slowly, with more force.
- Levers. The further from the pivot you push, the less force you need.
- Pulleys. More supporting ropes means less effort, over a longer distance.
- Balance. Weight multiplied by distance from the pivot, on each side.
- Load. A support nearer the weight carries more of it.
How to approach a mechanical test
- Picture it happening. These questions usually yield to imagining the thing moving rather than to calculation.
- Trace it step by step. With a train of gears, work through one pair at a time rather than trying to see the whole thing at once.
- Check what is actually being asked. Which way it turns, how fast it turns, and how much force it takes are three different questions about one diagram.
The time limit
Timed, with the limit shown before you begin.